With the arrival of the St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, this morning in Vinoland, the 2015 winemaking season has begun. One small problem though: the yield is down about 50% on the previous vintage. Most wineries, including TWWIAGE, are reporting that crops are on average about 30% down. With the 2012, 2013 and 2014 vintages being very bountiful, some folks have been taken by surprise at the reduced size of the crop this year. (In all honesty, this years crop size is probably closer to normal. Whatever normal is, that is.) Vinomaker will deal with it. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes looked, for the most part, like their usual beautiful blue-velvet-selves. Vital statistics were; 25.2 °B, with a pH of 3.75 and a TA of 5.85.
The 2015 growing season has not been without its problems
e.g., poor
fruit set and persistent drought conditions. In addition, this particular vineyard (the source of the Clone 7), is slowly succumbing to Pierce's Disease. I am hopeful, however, that this vintage will more than make up for what it lacks in crop with the quality of the finished wine.
4 comments:
They look good as usual and the resulting wine is always great, are they replanting?
Thud: Some looked better than others. These ones were particularly nice (didn't do anything to this photograph except crop it).
Gaps in the vineyard are being filled as vines die, but it's a losing battle I'm afraid. The vineyard is by a creek and the sharpshooters are having a field day!
I know the creek runs by, shame hey.
Thud: Yes, I'll ask St.H Sot no. 1 what he plans to do.
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